Chapter XI : Understanding

I entered the dining room carrying an empty bowl and glass, finding Zenius sitting in his chair in a beige shirt and dark brown trousers, his face looking flat as usual, Amira is pouring tea.

She then turned to notice my presence at the end of the dining table. "I was just about to call you and you should just leave it alone," she glanced at the two things in my hand.

I smiled faintly, Amira approached me and took the bowl and glass, "please sit down Sir, I will prepare your morning snacks," she then left, I immediately sit on a chair near Zenius who was already glancing at me.

I looked back at him. Apparently that man is still handsome without his black clothes and even looked fresher.

"How is your training going?" he asked, then he lifted his tea cup and took a sip. "I kept the stance you taught me well," I answered, somewhat proudly. He raised his lips, looking proud because I said it as if he was a good teacher. "By the way, Keeper isn't shining today, if there's no work what can I do?"

"Whatever, you can go to town if you want or keep practicing your sword," he answered.

"How about you?"

He just glanced, not intending to answer, I snorted.

Amira came with a tea cup that had just been filled with black tea which this time had a calming smell. Her other hand placed a plate with a sandwich on it infront of me. Amira also seemed to have prepared various cookies on the table and there is no large plate in front of Zenius. That man didn't look like he was used to eating breakfast.

"Mr Zenius usually only does brunch, in the morning he likes drinking tea and eating cookies," Amira explained as if aware of my probing gaze.

I put on an awkward face as soon as Zenius looked at me. The woman chuckled amusedly, "do you want to accompany me to the city today?" Amira offered. I shook my head, "sorry, my body feels broken, I need rest too bad," I answered carefully.

She nodded in understanding, "okay, I'll be back at lunch then leave again and be back before dinner, if you need anything you can ask Mr. Zenius."

I glanced at Zenius, welp.. I don't think so..

"Then I will excuse myself," Amira bowed politely and left us.

I then eat the sandwich which was still warm and Zenius seemed busy snacking on his cookie, the atmosphere between the two of us was very tense.

Not long after, Zenius stood up, "Where are you going?" I asked, my hands still busy slipping cookies into my tea, an old habit. To be honest, Amira's type of cookies are very similar to the cookies I usually eat on my earth, we dip them in tea or milk to give additional taste and unique texture.

"Aren't you going to sleep?" he really had no intention of answering, I ate the last cookie and stood up too.

This earth doesn't have cellphones, internet, or games like Balorant, I'm curious about what people here do in their free time especially the cold guy who just passed me by.

I immediately followed him, my curiosity overpowering my sleepiness.

Zenius snorted even though he let me follow him like a duckling with its mother.

Zenius stopped in front of the painting, i looked at his face which was looking at his own face with an unreadable gaze but i was sure it wasn't a look of adoration, my teasing about him being narcissistic seemed wrong.

The man stroked the edge of the frame and then the canvas.

"Your old partner... seems very talented," the compliment came out of my mouth after my brain debated for a long time about what to say amidst our silence. Zenius nodded, "he greatly appreciated art and this is the only painting that remains of his traces," he explained.

I could see Zenius' gaze become sad.

I looked at the painting, to be honest I am interested and felt like continuing to stare at it, the painting had a calm but firm coloring on Zenius' face as if to show that the man was firm, hard, cold but the color of his life was inversely proportional to his appearance. 

"That looks very descriptive of you," he looked at me, his eyes widening then returning to his cold gaze.

"That's what he said."

Zenius then got down and stepped into a glass room which somehow felt warm, I looked around and see that there were many types of plants there and they were growing well, is this also magic?

Zenius approached a red rose, "Amira has a friend who is a plant wizard and gave me flower seeds that can grow under any bad weather but Amira still make this room the only warm room without fireplace in here with her magic," explained Zenius. "You like flowers?" I asked in a disbelieving tone, Zenius looked at me lazily, his right hand was already holding two roses.

He passed me, I turned around and followed him again, this chick was curious about what its mother is doing.

Zenius opened the back door and was immediately greeted by strong winds and a few incoming snow particles.

I narrowed my eyes a bit as I started walking after him, Zenius put one of each on the two graves, I see him looking down and talking to himself as if praying for them, "Orchid..." I looked at him, "he's like a father to me, his name is in my locker and someone has killed him and messed up fate, I won't let it happen like they want," he then looked at me and smiled softly.

I was stunned. Maybe spirits don't have parents and only have Gods and Goddesses as their direct creators, although not humans but their feelings, their relationships with each other, and their way of thinking... I can see my own reflection, because that gaze is a proof of a spirit who have duties like angels of death really appreciate someone's presence.

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